Intense genetic study of familial prostate cancer has resulted in the identification of numerous putative prostate cancer susceptibility loci and several candidate genes, along with a realization of the extensive genetic and etiologic heterogeneity that characterizes this disease (Ostrander et al. (2000) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 67, 1367-1375). A gene or genes on 8p22-23 have been implicated in prostate carcinogenesis by the observation of frequent deletions of this region in prostate cancer cells (Latil & Lidereau. (1998) Virchows Arch. 432, 389-406), and by three recent linkage studies in hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) families (Xu et al. (2001) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 69, 341-350, Gibbs et al. (2000) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 67, 100-109, Goddard et al. (2001) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 68, 1197-1206). Because it functions in multiple processes proposed to be relevant to prostate carcinogenesis (e.g. inflammation, innate and adaptive immunity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis) (De Marzo et al. (1999) Am. J. Pathol. 155, 1985-1992, Nelson et al. (2001) Urology 57, 39-45), the MSR1 (macrohage scavenger receptor) gene at 8p22 is a promising candidate gene in this region (Platt & Gordon. (2001) J. Clin. Invest 108, 649-654).